Apparatus for use in shaft sinking



1952 w. L. CRYDERMAN 2,606,679

APPARATUS FOR USE IN SHAFT SINKING e4 A s 37 f 4 E 65' 2a 5 Ma. S

Invenior WAR/YER .4. 600mm 1952 w. L. CRYDERMAN 2,606,679

APPARATUS FOR USE IN SHAFT szuxmc Filed Sept. 13, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 70' 8 ilrwenior WARNER A CRYDER'MAN Ait'ys 1952 w. CRYDERMAN 2,606,679

' I APPARATUS EOR iJsE: IN SHAFT SINKING Filed Sept. 15, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 jnuenlor v h ARNER 1.. Cmomm'A/v Patented Aug. 12, 1952 APPARATUS FORUSE IN SIHAFTSINKING Warner L. Cryderm'an, Skcad, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Shaft Machines Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a corporation of Ontario,

Canada Application September 13, 1949, Serial No. 115,333 1 In Canada August 26, i949 This invention relates to device for use in sinking mine shafts, caisson digging and the like.

The removal of the shattered rock, after blast- 10 Claims. (Cl. 214 115 2 A considerable amount of detailin respect of the control means for the device has been omitted from this view to simplify the drawing.

Figure 2 is a sectional view showing the coning, from mine shafts has in the past been a struction of the telescoping boom. relatively slow and costly operation. While a Figure'3 is a sectional view of the telescoping considerable number of inventors have previousboom along line 33 of Figure 2. ly turned their minds to the problem of loading Figure 4 is a view showing the air cylinder the blasted rock or muck into buckets for hoisttype operated shoe means for holding theconing to ground level by mechanical means, the trol cage from which the telescoping boom decostly and slow hand shovel method of loading pends. I the'rock into bucket hoists is still widely used. Figure 5 is a view along the line 5-5 of The mechanical loaders provided in the past Figure 4. have not been generally accepted for various Figure 6 is a plan view showing the hoists reasons among them being difficulty of mafor swinging the universally mounted telescopnoeuvering, cost of building, special shaft timing boom to a desired position; bering methods must be employed that are more Figure 7 shows the hoists in elevation, looking costly, and all corners in the shaft cannot be in the direction of the arrows 1-1 of Figured readily cleared. r Figure 8 is a plan view showing, a mine shaft I have inventeda mechanical shaft digging 2o excavation and the manner in which it may be machine which is a substantial improvement divided by timbers into three compartments. 1 over the mechanical shaft digging machines of Figure 9 is a view showing an alternative the prior art. I collar'design'for operating the buckets.

It is then an object of this invention to pro- Figure 10 is a cross sectional view showing vide a mechanical mucker that will pick up an alternative means tothe means shown in muck with a positive action and that is'easy to Figure 2 for actuating the co-operating buckets manoeuvre. i v of the clam v It is a further object of this invention to pro- Referring to the drawings, and at first to vide a mechanical mucker that is rugged and Figure 1 in a general way the mine-mucking inexpensive to manufacture. machine there shown will be seen to comprise It is a still further object of this invention a control cage ID, having a telescoping boom to provide a mucker having the above mentioned 23 supported by the boom guide 2| and having features that can be used with the conventional a clam comprised of two co-operating buckets mine shaft timbering methods. l3- and M at its free end. The buckets l3 and It-is a still further object of this invention to 14 are pivotally mounted on the ring l4a which provide a mucking machine capable of removing is freely rotatable about the end of the boom 23. muck from all corners of the mine shaft. In the embodiment of the invention shown, With these and other objects in view I prothe boom guide 2| is universally suspended from vide a mucker having a boom guide designed the cage ID by rigidly securing its upper end to support a boom for the telescoping move- 40 to the platform I5 by welding or some other ment with respect thereto. According to the invention the boom has a pair of co-operating buckets pivotally mounted at its free end, and means are provided for actuating the buckets in either direction about their pivotal mounting on the boom. Means are also provided for telescoping the boom with respect to the guide. The invention will be clearly understood after reference to the following detailed specification read in conjunction with the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mucking machine according to the invention designed to be raised and lowered into a mine shaft in the same manner as a conventional mine cage.

suitable means. The platform I5 is pivotally mounted about one of its cross axes within the frame l6 as at I] and I8, and the frame It is in turn pivotally mounted in the frame of the cage it) as at l9 and 20 about a cross axis at right angles to the axis about which the platform I6 is mounted therewithin. It will be apparent that a controlled means for rocking the platform '[5 and the frame I6 about their respective pivotal axis would serve to swing the universally suspended boom guide 21 to any desired position. Controlled means for swinging the boom guide 2| to a desired position will be the boom 23 is supported within the boom guide 2|, and the means for actuating the co-operating buckets I3 and I4 in either direction about their pivotal connection with the boom 23.

As best seen in Figure 2, the boom 23 is tubular and is free to telescope directly within the tubular member 22 which is in turn free ,to telescope directly within the bearings 28 that are supported by the boom guide 2 I.

Control means, and means responsive to said control means for telescoping the boom 23 within the tubular member 22 are provided. The control means are not shown in the drawing but would include any suitable known apparatus for controllably operating a suitable power source. The present disclosure is not concerned with the operation of control devices because they are well known, and the choice of a suitable one would be only a matter of mechanical skill. responsive to the control means for telescoping the boom 23 includes a suitable powersource operated by the control means such as an air operated motor (again not shown in the drawing .because motors and their selection are well known), and means for transmitting power from the motor to raise and lower the boom 23. The power transmitting means shown in the drawings includes a winding drum 28, a cable 32, and a guide pulley 34 mounted in bracket 35a adjacent the lowerend of boom guide 2|. The drum 28 is coupled to the motor (not shown). The cable 32 is secured at each of its ends to the pin 33 carried by the boom 23 adjacent its upper extremity. As willbe seen in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings one end of the cable 32 extends in an upward direction, through a suitable hole in the floor of the platform I to the winding drum 28. The other end of the cable 32 extends in a downward direction, to and around the guide pulley 34 and up to the winding drum 28. The cable 32 extends around the drum 28 for a number of turns and is preferably anchored thereto adjacent the midturn so that as the drum turns, cable will reel on the drum in one direction and reel out from the drum in theother direction without slippage. This is old in the art of hoisting.

The telescoping operation of the boom 23 will be apparent from the description thus far. As the power means (not shown) is operated in response to operationof the control means (not shown) the drum 28 rotates and lengthens one end of the cable 32 and shortens the other end to raise or lower the boom depending on the direction of rotation of the drum. It should perhaps be noted that the tubular member 22 within which the boom 23 telescopes is formed with a longitudinally extending slit 35 to permit the free passage of the pin 30 as the boom 23 telescopes.

The boom of Figure is operated in a similar way to the one of Figures 1 and 2 except that it telescopes directly within the boom guide 2 I The intermediate tubular member in this embodiment of the invention is not included.

A control means (not shown) and means responsive to said control means for turning the buckets I3 and I4 about their point of pivotal connection with ring Ida at the end of boom 23' are also provided. The means responsive to the control means for actuating the buckets shown in Figures 1 to 9 includes a suitable power source (not shown) such as an air operated motor, a telescoping tubular member 22, means for transmitting power from the power source to raise and lower the tubular member 22, and the. links 36.

The means The power transmitting means shown in the drawings includes a winding drum 21, a cable 29, and guide pulley 3|. The winding drum 21 is coupled to the power means (not shown) which could be an air operated motor. This power transmitting means is similar in construction and operation to the power transmitting means for transmitting power to the boom 23. The cable 29 is secured at each of its ends to the pin 30 carried by the tubular member 22 adjacent its upper extremity. One end extends in an upward direction, through a hole in platform I 5, to winding drum 21. The other end extends in a downward direction, to and around the guide pulley 3 I to the winding drum 21. The cable extends around the drum 21 for a number of turns and actuates the tubular member up and down aS its ends are shortened or lengthened by rotation of the drum 21. The drum 21 of course is driven by the control operated power means mentioned above but not shown in the drawings. The links 35, to which reference has been made, pivotally connect with the collar 31 and with the buckets as shown. The collar 31 extends around the tubular member 32 between the rigid shoulders 64 and 65 and is kept from rotating therebetween by the pin 66 which passes through ali 110185 in the shoulder 66 and collar 31.

The pivoting action of the buckets as the tubular member 22 telescopes relatively to the boom 23 will be apparent from the drawing. The relative telescoping movement of the tubular member 22v is transformed to pivotal movement of the buckets I3 and I4 through the interconnecting links 36.

It should also perhaps be noted that the tubular member 22 is formed with a longitudinally extending tongue 26a which engages in a longitudinally extending groove (not shown) formed in the bearing .26 to prevent it from rotating during operation.

The clam of Figure 2 can be rotated through by removing the pin 65 from the position shown, rotating the collar 31 to cause the-hole therein to align with the hold 61 on shoulder. 65 and reinserting pin 66 in thealigned holes. The ring Ma is freely rotatable on the boom 23.

In Figure 9 I show an alternative method of securing the collar 31 to the free end of the tubular member 22. In this embodiment the tubular member 22 is formed with two circumferentially extending tongues 68 designed to engage in two circumferentially extending grooves formed in the collar 31a. The collar 31a is of the split construction and is tightened 0n the free end of the tubular member 22 by means of the bolt 69. In order to rotate the clam, it is merely necessary to loosen the bolt 69, rotate the clam to the desired position, and retighten the bolt.

In Figure 10 I show an alternative means for actuating the buckets I3 and I4 about their pivotal connection on the boom 23. In this embodiment the boom 23 telescopes directly within the boom guide -2 I, the intermediate tubular member 22 being dispensed with. Cylinders 15 are pivotally connected at one end as at 16 to'the ring 11 which is rigidly secured to the boom 23. The cylinders each have a double acting piston 13 with a piston rod 19 extending therefrom that connects with the buckets as at 80. The pistons are preferably air operated within the cylinder and control means. (not shown) are provided for admitting air to the ports 15a to move pistons in either direction whereby to pivot the buckets I3 and I 4 during operation.

mounted boom H as a whole to a desired position includes two hoists 38 and 39 which may be air operated and which are designed to wind ropes 40 and 4| respectively connected at their free ends to theboom fins 42 and; and. the boom fins 44 and a fin (not shown) diametrically opposed thereto. The ropes 40 and 4| as shown extend-aroundthe drums. 3B and 39 respectively for a number of turns. It will be apparent that as the free ends of the ropes 40 and 4| are lengthened or shortened by rotation of the drums 38 and 39 that the platform l5 and frame IE will adjust themselves about their'pivotal axes. to cause the boom to swing to a corresponding position.

I prefer to use a'single control stick for operatingthe hoist 38 andthe hoist 39. In Figures 6 and 7 the hoists 38 and 39 are mounted with their rotational axis at right angles to each other and have their control throttles 44 and 45 in a vertical position. The hoist is designed soithat by moving the throttle to one side of the vertical the hoist will rotate in one direction and by moving the throttle to the other side of the vertical the hoist will rotate in the opposite direction. The central control stick for the two hoists '38 and 39 is'universally mounted in the roof 46 of the cage I0 as at 41' and carries a plate 48 at its upper end. The-throttle handles 44 and 45 are engaged by the bifurcated ends of clevis-knuckles 48 and 50 respectively and the clevis knuckles 49 and'fifl are in turn connected to the plate 48 by links 5| and 52respectively. The links 5| and 52 pivotally connect with the clevises and plate 48. It will be apparent that by manipulating the handle 41a either one of the throttle levers 44 and 45 can be actuated independently of the other in either direction or both of thelevers 44 and 45 can be operated together. The dotted line position of the links in Figure 6 show the position. the links would assume when both throttles are actuated together. V i I The mucking machine disclosed in the drawings is operated up and down the mine shaft inthesame manner as a conventional mine cage. In Figure 8 I show a plan view of a mine shaft divided into three compartments by the horizontal support timbers 53 and 54 which are also designed to' support the vertically extending guide timbers 55 for the mine cage I I]. The mine cage I0, of course, has diametrically opposed guiderchannels 55 for co-operation with the verticallyextending guide timbers 55 and is hoisted up and down theshaft by cable means from the ground level.

In Figures 4 and 5 I show a suitable means for braking the cage ID in the desired positionon the guide timbers 55, which includes a slipper 51 carried by the guide channel 56 and normally held out of contact with the guide timber 55 by the springs 58. Pivo-tally mounted clams 59,

operatedfrom the link 60 by the air cylinder 64,;

6 are provided to -force the-slipper 5'! against'the guide timber to brace the cage 10. i In addition to-the slipper type brake shown in Figures 4 and 5,-I 'a1so employ a number of diametrically opposed laterally extending jacks 62 designed to exert a pressure against side walls of theshaftexcavation' or timbers for the purpose of more rigidly holding the cage I 0 in a predetermined position when the mucker is being operated.

The operation of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 9 will be described first. In this embodiment the buckets 'of the clam are opened by telescoping tubular member 22 and boom 23 relatively to eachother; This could be effected by moving tubular member 22- upwardly and holding the, boom 23-rigid, or. by moving boom 23 downwardly and holding tubularmember 22rigid. After the clam has been opened the boom 23 and the tubular member 22 are telescoped outwardly until the open clam engages with the muck pile. It will be apparent that the tubular'member 22 which encircles the boom 23 must telescope with the boom if the clam is to remain in its open position. 'Any relative motion between the boom 23 and the tubular member-22 would cause the clam buckets to pivot about-their mounting on the boom. When the clam engages with the muck pile the tubular member 22 is caused to move outwardly with respect to the boom 23 to cause the clam buckets Band H to close, and dig into and scoop up a quantity of muck. The boom 23 and tubular member 22 are then telescoped in an upward direction to lift the loaded clam. Again it will be apparent that the tubular member 22 must .be raised at the. same rate as the boom'23, otherwise it would look the boom in its lowered. position. .'When I the loaded clam is raisedi-t is swung .by operatioriof hoists 33 and 39, within its pivotal mountingto overlie a hoist bucket and actuated to an open position by relative movement between the tubu'e lar member 22 and boom 23 to deposit its muck in the bucket. Number 12 is a diagrammatical representation of a bucket for hoisting muck from a mine shaft. The operation'is repeated until the bucket is loaded.

In practice I feel that it is desirable in the embodiment of invention shown in Figures 1 m9, to fit the hoists 21 and 28 with similar speed and similarpower rated motors sothat when the mucker is lifting a loaded clam both hoists can be'convenientlyoperated so that each hoisting motor will assume onevhalf of the lifting load;

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figur'elO the means for actuating th'e'buckets I3 I the machine are the same. I

and [4 of the clam does not include a tubularmember 22 and the hoist motor for raising the boom 23 must be powerful enough to raise the loaded clam by itself. With this embodiment of the invention the buckets l3 and M of the clam, are opened andclosed by actuating the double acting pistons 18 inwardly and outwardly within the cylinders 15. The other steps in -the use. of

It will be apparent that the'separate control meansv in the various power-operated component parts of the mucker described could all be located at one handy spot for control by a signaloperator. The platform 15 would be a suitable point from which to control the operation of the mucker. Other places are possible, however, such as a small seat mounted on o'neof the fins 42, 43 ,or44.

While; in the foregoing specification: I ;ha'vei shown cable means and air operated power devices for telescoping the boom and operating the clam it will be apparent that other power means such as hydraulic ones could be employed. 'With respect to thi and other features of the inventionthen, I do not intend that the foregoing specification should be read in a limiting sense except for the limitations expressed in the following claim's.

What I claim as my invention is:

--1.':Ina device for use in sinking mine shafts, and the like, a boom guide, a boom supported by said guide for telescoping movement with respect thereto, two buckets each pivotally mounted on said boom adjacent its free end to co-operate with each other and form a clam, a control, actuating means responsive to said control for actuating said buckets in either direction about their pivotal connection with said boom, 3, second control, and means responsive to said second control'for telescoping said boom with respect to said guide, said boom guide comprising a tubular member, said actuating means for actuating said bucketsabout their pivotal connection including a second tubular member mounted for telescoping with respect to the boom guide, a plurality of links pivotally connecting with said second mentioned tubular member adjacent its free end, and means for transmitting power to said second mentioned tubular member to telescope it with respect to-said boom guide.

2. Ina device for use in sinking mine shafts, and the like, a boom guide, a boom supported by said guide for telescoping movement with respect thereto, two buckets each pivotally mounted on said boom adjacent its free end to co-operate with each other and form a clam, a control, actuating means responsive to said control for actuating said buckets in either direction about their pivotal connection with said boom, a second control, and means responsive to said second control for telescoping said boom with respect to said guide, said boom guide comprising a tubular member, said actuating means for actuating said buckets about their pivotal connection including a second tubular member mounted for telescoping with respect to the boom guide, a plurality of links pivotally connecting with said buckets and with said second tubular member adjacent its free end, a drum, power means for rotating said drum, cable means secured at each of its free ends to said second tubular member adjacent its upper extremity, guide means for guiding said cable in an upward direction from one of its free ends and in a downward direction from the other one of its free ends, said cable extending around said drum for a plurality of turns between its ends.

3. In a device for use in sinking mine shafts, and the like, a boom guide, a boom supported by said guide for telescoping movement with respect thereto, two buckets each pivotally mounted on said boom adjacent its free end to co-operate with each other and form a clam, a control, actuating means responsive to said control foractuating said buckets in either direction about their pivotal connection with said boom, a second control, and means responsive to said second control for telescoping said boom with respect to said guide, said boom guide comprising a tubular member, said actuating means for actuating said buckets about their pivotal connection including a second'tubular' member mounted for telescoping directly within said boom guide, a plurality of links pivotally connecting with said buckets and with said second mentioned tubular member adjacent' its free end, and means for transmitting power to said second mentioned tubular member to telescope it within said boom guide.

4. In a device for use in sinking mine shafts,- and the like, a boom guide, a boom supported by said guide for telescoping'movement with respect thereto, two buckets each pivotally mounted on said boom adjacent its free end to co-operate with each other and form a clam, a control, actuating means responsive to said control for actuating said buckets in either direction about their pivotal connection with said boom, a second control, and means responsive to said second control for telescopin said boom with respect to said guide, said boom guide comprising a tubular member, said actuating means for actuating said buckets about their pivotal connection including a second tubular member mounted for telescoping directly within said boom guide member, a plurality of links pivotally connected with said buckets and said second tubular member adjacent its free end, a drum, power means for rotating said drums, cable means secured at each of its ends to said second tubular member adjacent its upper extremity, guide means for actuating said cable in an upward direction from one of its-ends and in a downward direction from the other one of its free ends, said cable extending around said drums for a plurality of turns between its ends.

5. In a device for use in sinking mine shafts, and the like, a boom guide, a boom supported by said guide for telescoping movement with respect thereto, two buckets each pivotally mounted on said boom adjacent its free end to co-operate with each other and form a clam, a control, ac-' tuating means responsive to said control for actuating said buckets in either direction about their pivotal connection with said boom, a second control, and means responsive to said second control for telescoping said-boom with respect to said guide, said boom'guide comprising a tubular member, said actuating means for actuating said buckets about their pivotal connection including a second tubular member mounted for telescoping directly within the boom guide, a plurality of links pivotally connecting with the said buckets and with said second mentioned tubular member adjacent its free end and means for transmitting power to said second mentioned tubular member to telescope it with respect to said boom guide, said boom telescoping directly within said tubular member.

6. In a device for use in sinking mine shafts, and the like, a mine cage, a boom guide, means for universally suspending said boom guide from said mine cage, control means, actuating means responsive to said control means for actuating said suspended boom guide to a desired position, a boom supported by said guide for telescoping movement with respect thereto, two buckets each pivotally mounted on said boom adjacent its free end to co-operate with each other and form a clam, a second control, actuating means responsive to said second control for actuating said buckets in either direction about their pivotal connection with said boom, a third control, and means responsive to said third control for telescoping said boom with respect to said guide, said boom guide comprising a tubular member, said actuating means for actuating said buckets about their pivotal connection including a second tubular member mounted for telescoping with respect to the boom guide, a plurality of links pivotally connecting with said buckets and with said second mentioned tubular member adjacent its free end, and means for transmitting power to said second mentioned tubular member to telescope it with respect to said boom guide.

7. In a device for use in sinking mine shafts, and the like, a mine cage, a boom guide, means for universally suspending said boom guide from said mine cage, control means, actuating means responsive to said control means for actuating said suspended boom guide to a desired position, a boom supported by said guide for telescoping movement with respect thereto, two buckets each pivotally mounted on said boom adjacent its free end to oo-operate with each other and form a clam, a second control, actuating means responsive to said second control for actuating said buckets in either direction about their pivotal connection with said boom, a third control, and means responsive to said third control for telescopin said boom with respect to said guide, said boom guide comprising a tubular member, said means for actuating said buckets about their pivotal connection comprising a second tubular member for telescoping with respect to the boom guide, a plurality of links pivotally connecting with said buckets and with said second tubular member adjacent its free end, a drum, power means for rotating said drum, cable means secured at each of its free ends to said second boom adjacent its upper extremity, guide means for guiding said cable in an upward direction from one of its free ends and in. a downward direction from its other free end, said cable extending around said drum for a plurality of turns between its ends.

8. In a device for use in sinkin mine shafts, and the like, a mine cage, a boom guide, means for universally suspending said boom guide from said mine cage, control means, actuating means responsive to said control means for actuating said suspended boom guide to a desired position, a boom supported by said guide for telescoping movement with respect thereto, two buckets each pivotally mounted on said boom adjacent its free end to co-operate with each other and form a clam, a second control, actuating means responsive to said second control for actuating said buckets in either direction about their pivotal connection with said boom, a third control, and means responsive to said third control for telescoping said boom with respect to said guide, said boom guide comprising a tubular member, said actuating means for actuating said buckets about their pivotal connection including a second tubular member mounted for telescoping directly within said boom guide, a plurality of links pivotally connecting the said buckets and with second mentioned tubular member adjacent its free end, and means for transmitting power to said second mentioned tubular member, and telescoping it to said boom guide, said boom telescoping directly within said second mentioned tubular member.

9. In a device for use in sinking mine shafts, and the like, a mine cage, a boom guide, means for universally suspending said boom guide from said mine cage, control means, actuating means responsive to said control means for actuating said suspended boom guide to a desired position, a boom supported by said guide for telescoping movement with respect thereto, two buckets each pivotally mounted on said boom adjacent its free end to co-operate with each other and form a clam, a second control, actuatin means responsive to said second control for actuating said buckets in either direction about their pivotal connection with said boom, a third control, and means responsive to said third control for telescoping said boom with respect to said guide, said boom guide comprising a tubular member, said means for actuating said buckets about their pivotal connection including the plurality cylinders with double acting pistons having piston rods extending therefrom, said cylinders and piston rods pivotally connecting with said boom and with said buckets whereby said buckets are actuated about their point of pivotal connection as the pistons move within the cylinders.

10. A device for use in sinking mine shafts, and the like, as claimed in claim 9 in which said cylinders are air operated.

WARNER L. CRYDERMAN.

REFERENCES CKTED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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